3D printing

3Doodler was the surprise hit of 2013, a handheld 3D drawing pen capable of sketching physical objects using concepts borrowed from 3D printers, and now the team is back with version two. 3Doodler 2.0 is a complete rework of the original, swapping the plastic casing for a trimmer aluminum form-factor, dropping its weight to 50g, and running longer than before with the promise of more precise plastic ink extrusion.

By this point, 3D printing pens aren't anything new. We've seen different versions of them, including the 3Doodler pen that hit Kickstarter back in 2013. Now the crowdfunding website is home to a similar device, one that promises to trump all of its competitors via the inclusion of an integrated blue light. With this blue light, the Polyes Q1 3D printing pen's photo-polymer "ink" is cured quickly for a safer three dimensional drawing experience, improving upon the ABS/PLA materials used by alternatives.

In this digital and visual age, we usually take for granted some of the things that we can see. But what about those who don't have the gift of sight? Fortunately, the same technology that can produce plastic models or artificial dog limbs has become sophisticated and accessible enough that even the blind can benefit from advances in 3D printing. Like for example, this 3D printed yearbook that gives blind students a chance to remember not just the names but also the faces of their classmates and friends.

We have a winner for the most interesting email attachment of 2014! NASA recently provided the astronauts currently aboard the International Space Station (ISS) with a new tool via little more than a standard email. The attachment was actually instructions for a special 3D printer the astronauts have thanks to a delivery from a SpaceX Dragon capsule back in September. The printer is specially made to work in low gravity, and the emailed instructions included the design for a socket wrench that was specifically needed.

We've seen 3D printers churn out amazing things, sometimes even unbelievable things, and once in a while ridiculous things. But what if 3D printing could do something amazing, selfless, and heart-warming as well? That can definitely happen with a bit of imagination, creativity, science, and the will to put the technology to even better use, as in this case of Derby, a handicapped canine that was able to experience first hand the empowering benefits of 3D printing. With a little help from humans, of course.

Made In Space’s 3D printer, which is currently housed on the International Space Station, has printed its first item. While Earthbound printers might be used for toys or other trinkets, the 3D printer in space has a better idea: parts. The first item the printer printed was a spare part. For itself. the 3D printer orbiting the one on your desk is very similar, too: ABS plastic, fed through a filament, that lays out items on a base. The printer arrived via SpaceX’s Dragon ship.

With 3d printing fast becoming “normal”, we’re seeing a huge sampling of those who think they’ve got it right. Some offer quick printing, others a platform. Others, still, just plain try to get in at the lowest cost, betting you just want to print a toy or trinket to show off for friends. The FLUX may not be the lowest cost 3D printer we’ve seen, but it’s definitely one of the coolest, and one of the more well thought-out offerings on the table right now.

If your home decor is feeling a bit rote, a splash of 3D printing might bring it back to life. Lacelamps is one example of how a simple 3D printing project can be used to give one's home a creative flair. The lamps are 3D printed and feature a lacy white "cap" that, when the light is turned on, cast shadows on the wall forming intricate patterns. The lamps are the brainchild of Pierre-Yves Jaques and Linlin, both French designers.

We can't yet pop a tablet to get our daily nutritional needs, but a future where food is select on a touchscreen and then printed out from ingredients capsules is looking more likely than ever. Foodini is a 3D printer that does just that, and its maker Natural Machines recently showed it off at the Web Summit in Dublin. The device first made its debut via a failed Kickstarter project, but that didn't stop the maker from moving forward, and it is already looking toward it second version.

While 3D printing has become en vogue, especially in hobbyist communities, 3D printed firearms have become the movements most unpopular application. Governments around the world have sought to either totally ban such products or discourage their use by playing on the guns' extremely short lifetimes. That fear factor, however, may no longer be usable soon, thanks to a specially crafted type of bullet that won't destroy a 3D printed gun, especially plastic ones, no matter how many times you fire it. Definitely law enforcement's worst nightmare.